"One major change made in this law (Veterans’ Benefits) is a change to the effective date for the exclusion of federal VA benefits from estimated financial assistance. The new effective date is July 1, 2009. The July 1 effective date means that the change is effective for the 2009-2010 award year. Federal VA benefits must be excluded from estimated financial assistance for all 2009-2010 aid packages. You must review any VA students already packaged and re-determine eligibility for need-based aid."

Based on feedback from many of you, it has been determined that these same federal guidelines will be applied for state aid programs administered by HEAB. Please let me know if you have questions or concerns.

HEAB, WTCS, UWSA and DVA (Department of Veterans Affairs) have been working together the last few months to sort out the new state and federal changes to veterans benefits. We have recently formed a database group with representatives from all of the organizations listed above. We will work together to improve data collection needed to process the annual reimbursement to institutions and also develop a process for schools to inquire about students’ 128 credit limit. More information will be available at the UW financial aid directors meeting on August 19 and at the WTCS financial aid officers State Called meeting on September 18. We will also send periodic email to veterans certifying officials and registrars at both systems as more information becomes available.

The Wisconsin 2009-2011 Biennial Budget Act clarifies the total WI GI Bill eligibility to 128 credits or 8 semesters, whichever is longer, for the combined total credits and semesters attended at all UW System and Wisconsin Technical College institutions. For example, if a student has already used 30 credits of WI GI Bill tuition remission at a Wisconsin Technical College, and 30 credits of WI GI Bill tuition remissions at UW Institutions, that student will have 68 WI GI Bill credits remaining of the 128 total credits allowed. The Wisconsin Higher Educational Aids Board is responsible for tracking the total WI GI Bill credits used by a student at all Wisconsin Technical College and University of Wisconsin institutions.

The UWSA has a section on their website that provides the latest information about veterans’ benefits. Here is the link that will take you directly there: http://gibill.wisconsin.edu

The format of the voucher upload will be changing for the 09-10 academic year. Currently, the request amount field requires 6 digits consisting of four dollar spaces and 2 cents spaces ($$$$¢¢); the new layout will drop the cents and leave those spaces blank. See below for examples of the old format and the new.